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maurices Gives to ReMAP Program for Student Success

Along with being a huge name and brand in today’s fashion market, maurices is also helping UMD students succeed in their education and beyond. Representatives from maurices announced a gift of $50,000 to support the Retail Marketing Analytics program (ReMAP) at the UMD Labovitz School of Business and Economics (LSBE). This gift will be used to support student learning, enhance the Analytics curriculum, and establish scholarships.

In addition to their monetary gift, maurices will also provide ReMAP with case studies so students can work on solving current business questions which is valuable in honing their analytic and critical thinking skills.

George Goldfarb, maurices’ President, states that “as a national retailer, maurices is in a position where we collect massive volumes of data. We know that some very useful and managerially relevant insights can be obtained from this data that can help us serve our customers even better. We are excited about LSBE’s ReMAP program that will produce graduates who are specifically trained in gleaning insights from large databases. The industry desperately needs more talent in this domain and LSBE is targeting an important niche. We look forward to supporting this cutting-edge curriculum.”

UMD’s Marketing and Analytics Program (MAP) is among the first of its kind nationwide. This undergraduate major is available through the Labovitz School of Business and Economics. Through ReMAP, students learn quantitative skills directly relevant to retail analytics. They receive a solid background in technology and marketing while developing strong written and verbal communication skills.

Students accepted into the MAP program will have the opportunity to build a strong foundation of statistical analysis know-how and directly apply advanced marketing techniques to the real world. Participation in the program will give students the skills necessary to make more strategic merchandising and marketing decisions throughout their career.

Designed to be a standalone major within LSBE’s BBA degree program, this program is unique in that it is a comprehensive degree program in Marketing Analytics with a full-time program director and an analytics lab where students will be trained in the use of sophisticated software. Recent advances in computing technology and software solutions have created an industry opportunity where companies can convert vast amounts of data they collect everyday into useful and usable insights that can inform managerial decision-making.

“By supporting this program, we are able to help the students obtain the skills they need to thrive in the business world,” said Mark Herrick, maurices’ senior vice president, Planning and Allocation. “As a long-time supporter of the Labovitz School of Business and Economics, we look forward to furthering our partnership through this innovative program.”

The ReMAP program is receiving significant positive response from the industry. Knowledgeable talent in marketing analytics is in high demand, according to Diane Harper, a group vice president of Consumer Insights and Strategy at Supervalu, Incorporated. “The availability of individuals with these specialized skills and highly coveted skills is scarce. By starting the MAP program, the Labovitz School of Business and Economics at UMD is creating a pipeline of local talent that would be a great benefit to companies, including Supervalu, Incorporated.”

maurices, a brand of Ascena Retail Group, Inc., is the leading hometown specialty store and authority for the savvy, fashion-conscious girl with a twenty-something attitude. Today, maurices operates over 833 stores in 46 states and Canada.